A list of high frequency grammar points

along with an example sentence that

shows the error.

1. foundvs founded
This university was found in 1960 by my father’s friend.

2. Avoid redundancy. There is nothing such as “return back” or

“reply back.”
My father has returned back to Chennai yesterday.
Supposing if it rains, what shall we do?

3. Poetries, furnitures, luggages, baggages, informations and

equipments are absolutely blasphemous. It should be poetry,
furniture and information followed by a singular verb.
These are uncountable nouns, or nouns that cannot be counted
and do not have a plural form. You can have "a lot
of equipment," "more equipment," or "less equipment," but
not "*six equipment."
We get excellent furnitures in this shop.

4. When using “does” do not add an “s” to the main verb.

We shall go out if it does not rains.
5. long ago vs before long
Long ago is used with past tense and before long, which means
“soon,” is used in sentences which indicate that the work has
not yet been done.
The speaker left the scene before long.

6. When making a comparison, use “more” and not “most.”

The Hindu is most popular than any other newspaper in India.

7. Use “the” when talking about something plural followed by

a preposition; in such a case the plural thing becomes definite.
Eg.All the children of the class, all the boys in the room, all the
money in my wallet.
All mangoes in this basket are overripe.

8. ‘A hyphenated adjective containing a cardinal number’

cannot be in plural form. Eg. Five-man army, ten-rupee note
Hari lost a hundred-rupees note yesterday.

9. When using indirect speech, be careful about the

prepositions used.Eg.said to, asked, told, questioned, advised,
informed, prayed to, requested, enquired of (somebody), etc.
The teacher told to the students that they must attend school
regularly.
I would request to you to consider my application and grant
me a job as early as possible.
10. The following words must always have V1 after them: can,
may, must, should, might, will, shall, would, ought to, could.
Being a student, you must never disobeyed your teachers.

11. If you spot AND, BUT, THAN, INSTEAD OF……always check

parallelism.
Modern youth pay more attention to watching films than to
read books.
He is fatter than me.

12. hardvs hardly

Old habits die hardly.

13. would have/ could have/ should have……….. had + V3

If he had walked fast enough, he will get the bus.

14. When the same noun is used twice with a preposition in

between, it should be singular. Eg. Row upon row, man after
man, page after page
Speakers after speakers came on the stage to perform.

15. much vs many

Much is for uncountable nouns whereas many is for countable
nouns.
Mrs. Dhillon has two elephants, ten horses and as much as fifty
cars.
16. For motion or action, always use INTO
It was he who came running in the house with the news about
the earthquake.

17. When you like, dislike, love, admire, approve of or

disapprove of some action done by somebody,use the
following structure: possessive pronoun + ing form of verb
Eg. He doesn’t like MY GOING there. / My parents do not
approve of MY BROTHER COMING HOME SO LATE. / Her
mother doesn’t approve of her to go to the party without
dressing formally.

18. between…and, from…to

Our vacation is between 12th May to 12th June.

19. Passive voice uses V3 of the main verb.

The social activist was murder in cold blood.

20. Avoid double comparatives

Though we both are of the same height, you are more heavier
than I.

21. “I” always comes last, except in the case of negative

activities.
I, Rohit and he are very good friends.

22. One….one’s
One should look after their parents.
23. get / have………..v3 and do not use “be” with it
Get this work be done in time.
I am going to have this certificate attest by the director.

24. whovs whom

Who is for subject, whom for object
May I know to who I am speaking?

25. It is time / it is high time / it is about time……..v2

It is time we should have done something useful.

26. No comparative or superlative with ‘unique,’ ‘perfect,’ or

‘ideal.’
That was the most unique opportunity he got in his life.

27. superior, inferior, junior, senior…….to

Shelley is superior than Byron in his vision of democracy

28. Be careful with REFUSED, DENIED AND DECLINED

The Minister for Education vehemently refused the allegation
that he had taken bribes.

29. nothing else…..but

It is nothing else than pride that makes her seem vain among
her friends.

30. It being vs being

When talking about a particular day or a situation, always use IT
before BEING.
Being very dark, the visitors found it difficult to locate the
switch.
Being a rainy day, we didn’t go out.

31. Either/or, Neither/nor……….always follow second subject

Either an officer or an assistant are required.

32. prefer…..to
On a holiday I prefer reading story books than visiting my
friends.

33. Use “the” with designations. Eg. The President, The

Director
Headmaster has instructed the teachers to follow the rules of
the school.

34. No preposition with “discuss” and “describe.”

We discussed about the problem thoroughly on the eve of the
examination.

35. Ever vs never

Don’t use never in a negative sentence.
They can promise you an experience you won’t never forget.